Samuel F. Heffner, Jr. ’56, is founder and president of Dickinson-Heffner, Inc. of Baltimore, a building and land development firm in the Baltimore-Washington area.

He earned a degree in architecture from Rensselaer, worked in the profession for several years, and then founded Dickinson-Heffner in 1965.

Through the years he has maintained very close ties to the Institute. He chaired two presidential search committees, the Advancement Committee, and the Rensselaer Technology Park Committee. He was also chair of Rensselaer's New Century Campaign. He is a member of The Stephen Van Rensselaer Society of Patroons of Rensselaer, and received the Rensselaer Alumni Association's Alumni Key Award in 1980, the Albert Fox Demers Medal in 1984, the Distinguished Service Award in 1987 for his extensive Rensselaer volunteer work, and the 1993 Fellows Award from the School of Architecture. He was elected chairman of the Board of Trustees in December 1995.

Perhaps his most significant contribution to Rensselaer was his leadership effort in the construction of the Samuel F. Heffner, Jr. '56 Alumni House  fully designed, constructed and funded by Rensselaer alumni. He is also a skilled aircraft pilot.